Determination of Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Level in Patients with Severe Asthma

Background: This descriptive study aimed to determine the serum level of alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) in patients with severe asthma. Materials and Methods: The serum level of AAT was determined in 43 patients with severe asthma. Pulmonary function tests were performed and data were analyzed by SPPS version 19 software. Result: The mean age of patients was 41±13.8 years (range 14 to 78 years). The AAT level was within the normal range (90–200 mg/dl) in 38 patients (88.4%) and less than normal in 2 patients (4.7%). Conclusion: No association was observed between the serum level of AAT and lung function in severe persistent asthmatic patients. The prevalence of AAT deficiency was low in patients with severe persistent asthma. These results must be confirmed by further longitudinal investigations using larger cohort studies.